


Grown Ups Growing Up

by acme146



Series: Fading Scars [9]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Forgiveness, Gen, Neville is the Best Teacher, Personal Growth, Redemption, This is Part of Draco Malfoy's Redemption Arc, past bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-03
Updated: 2017-05-03
Packaged: 2018-10-27 13:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10809837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acme146/pseuds/acme146
Summary: Neville's received a letter from Draco Malfoy, of all people.





	Grown Ups Growing Up

**Author's Note:**

> “Some people see scars, and it is wounding they remember. To me they are proof of the fact that there is healing.”   
> ― Linda Hogan

_Dear Professor Longbottom,_

_It feels strange even writing those words. Not only did I never consider writing to you, but to know that we are both grown up—that we survived—long enough for that to be your title is incredibly odd._

_I have a request for you on behalf of my son._

_Scorpius writes to Astoria and I every other day; he doesn’t have to, we don’t ask for that, but he seems anxious to tell us all about Hogwarts. At least, about how much he enjoys exploring the grounds and how the Ravenclaw common room is brilliant and how ‘Al’ and Rose and he have such fun together. But he never talks about his classes, or really anything or anyone else._

_I was concerned, though I had a good idea why he stayed silent. It seems a savage justice that makes the son of a bully the target of unfriendly glances, whispered rumours, and the shame of a family name he may never escape. There is no greater punishment for what I have done than knowing that the name I was so proud of is now steeped with the same evil as Lestrange and Riddle, and much of that reputation was from my hands._

_It was with some trepidation, therefore, that for the first time I asked him a direct question. I asked him who his favourite teacher was. I knew that there would be some who would not hide their distaste for him, but I hoped that he could still think of one teacher who did not try to make his life miserable._

_Imagine my surprise when he wrote back—enthusiastically, mind you—about Professor Longbottom, about how cool he was and how great a teacher, how he never made anyone feel stupid and Herbology was the best class. “The best part, Dad,” he wrote, “is that Professor Longbottom treats me like Scorpius, not Scorpius Malfoy.”_

_My son is eleven years old. He has known from a young age that his last name means trouble; we have argued about this many times, as he demands to know what I and my parents have done to deserve this. It broke my heart to ask him to stop defending me as a child, that much of what people say is true. He doesn’t know everything—I may never have the courage to let him know everything—but he knows enough that our relationship is strained. I have his love, but I will not have his pride: he is the opposite of me in so many important ways. I failed him before he was even born._

_When you were eleven years old, my godfather began to make your life a living hell in Potions class and I everywhere else. It wasn’t the same as with Harry Potter—I wasn’t insulted by your actions, but your very existence. I never held back, never considered that you were even a person worthy of respect. And yet now, when you teach the children of the young Death Eaters you treat them as themselves, not their parents. No one would fault you for doing so, but you just…don’t. More to the point, you are my son’s favourite teacher, when all he could have expected from you was disinterest, if not outright hate._

_So I am asking a favour of you, Professor Longbottom, and it is more than I deserve from you, but I am asking for my son, and not for me. Please teach him how to be a good man. I can’t pretend I know how to do it—Harry (again, not a name I ever thought I would write) and Astoria have been trying to teach me, and Scorpius has always been an impetus, but I don’t think  I truly know how just yet. He trusts you—he likes you. I don’t know precisely what I’m asking you to do; as I say, this isn’t quite my area. I simply know that Scorpius can be a good man, and I want you to try to teach him how. He has a far better role model in you._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Draco Malfoy._

_P.S. I am sorry, Neville._

                Neville watched Scorpius read his father’s letter. He’d read it himself five times the day before, nearly missing his first class that morning. He’d immediately asked Scorpius if he wouldn’t mind joining him in his office the next day—he had something to discuss with him.

                The boy had come in pale and trembling and Neville made a note to go speak to some of the other teachers. Draco was right—several teachers couldn’t get past the name Malfoy—but if Scorpius was terrified of being in trouble there might be something more serious going on.

                Neville hadn’t known quite what to feel when he received the letter. It was unexpected, certainly—both getting a letter from Draco Malfoy in the first place and receiving an apology for…well, Neville remembered.

                The request to help Scorpius, on the other hand, was something he knew what to do with. Neville liked the boy a lot—inquisitive and charming, he and Albus Potter were his best students (although Albus really needed to stop touching everything—he did _not_ want to write Harry and Ginny Potter and tell them their youngest son was in the Hospital Wing). He had done a few double-takes—they looked so much like their fathers, and years of watching Harry and Draco conflicts had him ready just in case—but otherwise he really didn’t  see Scorpius as anyone other than, well, Scorpius.

                Scorpius looked up, pale eyes wide. “Professor…I don’t understand. I don’t think Da meant for me to read this.”

                “I know,” Neville said patiently. “I have no doubt your father likely has some regrets about sending it in the first place.”

                “So why show it to me?” Scorpius’ long fingers clung to the letter.

                “Because he asked me to show you how to be a good man,” Neville replied. “This is lesson one, I suppose.”

                “So you’ll do it?” Scorpius seemed surprised and suspicious.

                Neville reached out and took the letter back. “Do you know what he’s referring to here?”

                Scorpius fidgeted. “Not really. I’ve tried to ask people, but they won’t answer me. Not even Harry.”

                _Draco Malfoy’s son is calling Harry by his first name_ , Neville marvelled. _What a world_. “Well, I suppose it’s not really my place to say—”

                “If Da was mean to you I want to know!” Scorpius snapped, flushing.

                “Alright, he was.” Neville put the letter down, watching Scorpius’ face fall. He softened his tone. “We were both young, Scorpius, and I wasn’t much like I am now. I was an easy target.”

                “No way! Not you.”

                “Yeah, I was. I was a weird kid who had a constantly missing toad, a lot of trouble in class and was no good at standing up for myself.” Neville could still remember that boy, still remember feeling like that.

                Scorpius raised thin eyebrows.  

                “You really don’t believe me, do you?” Neville mused. He leaned back in his chair. “Scorpius, that Neville’s as real as the one I am now, but you’re right in one way—he doesn’t feel like me anymore. I’ve grown up, changed. And more importantly, so has your Da.”

                Scorpius stared at him.

                “You didn’t know that Draco Malfoy, because he was gone long before you were born.” Neville tapped the letter. “The Draco Malfoy who’s your Mum’s husband, who’s your Da, who wrote me this letter and apologized…he’s grown up too.”

                Scorpius looked away.

                “Do you know something Professor Dumbledore once said?” At Scorpius’ hesitant headshake, Neville continued. “He said that it doesn’t matter what someone is born, but what they grow to be. Draco Malfoy has made some mistakes, and did bad things, but he’s learned from them, and he’s done his best to make up for them. Your Da’s already taught you the most important lesson, even though you may be too young to understand.”

                Scorpius was smiling shyly. “My Da is a good man, isn’t he?”

                “He’s certainly on the way.” Neville smiled.

                Scorpius stood up suddenly. “Thank you, Professor. I think I need to go write to my Da.”

                Neville stood and offered the boy his hand. Scorpius took it and shook firmly. “Have a good day, Scorpius, and mind you and Albus finish your project before you go gallivanting back to the Forest.”

                Scorpius just laughed and ducked out of the small office. Neville looked down at his desk, fingers tracing his own name in Draco Malfoy’s handwriting. _Neville_.  

                Mind made up, he took out some parchment and a quill, dipped it in his inkwell, and began to write.

                _Dear Draco,_

_You’re right, it does feel odd to write to you…_

**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed this! I will be posting a chapter soon in 'Fading Scars' to discuss Draco's efforts towards redemption, but I thought it might be interesting to show the results before the work, so to speak.   
> Cheers,   
> Acme!


End file.
